The winners of the Intermediate events of Henley Royal Regatta 2026
and how their red boxes were won
The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup Winner: Nautilus Rowing Club & Edinburgh University
Leander Club v Nautilus Rowing Club & Edinburgh University
In this race, punters were treated to the spectacle of two stand-out quads in the final of The Prince of Wales of Challenge Cup, with the latter containing the provisional line-up for seats in the GB boat for the upcoming U23 World Rowing Championships. Both crews showed strong form coming into Sunday’s racing, with Leander Club beating Reading University ‘D’, and Oxford Brookes University, and Nautilus R.C. & Edinburgh University eliminating Leander Club & Leeds Rowing Club, and Reading University.
Leaping out from the stakeboats, both crews aimed to take control of the race. They remained almost level out of the Island, but the Nautilus R.C. & Edinburgh University, just a foot ahead, made the early decision to move away, 1/2 a length ahead by The Barrier. Both crews rated 37, but it was the Nautilus & Edinburgh University boat held firm, with 1 ¼ length clear water at the Mile. No sprint from Leander Club could draw them level, and Nautilus & Edinburgh crossed the line to win The 2026 Prince of Wales Challenge Cup.
The Visitors’ Challenge Cup Winner: Nautilus Rowing Club ‘A’
Nautilus Rowing Club 'A' v Leander Club 'B'
Curtailing their first boat, Leander ‘B’ punched their ticket into Finals day in dramatic fashion. Nautilus Rowing Club also defeated their ‘B’ crew in the quarter-final, and then beat an Austrian composite by 1 ¾ lengths in the semi-finals.
In this coxless four final, Leander ‘B’ were keen to gain the upper hand, and by the ¼ Mile, had drawn out a one-length advantage over Nautilus R.C. At the Barrier, they remained out front, but their lead had been reduced to just ⅓ of a length and Nautilus could smell blood. The GB U23 composite took the lead at Fawley and, with fresh momentum, strode away from Leander. They were 2 ½ lengths up at the Mile, and a mighty 4 ¼ lengths ahead as they crossed the line as winners, the first time a full Nautilus crew has won Henley Royal Regatta since 1991.
The Ladies’ Challenge Plate Winner: Leander Club
Leander Club v Cambridge University & Harvard University, USA
To make finals day, Leander Club had beaten London Rowing Club and Nautilus Rowing Club. The composite crew had posted faster times up the course throughout the week whilst racing Oxford Brookes and the University of Washington.
A tight contest saw Leander Club narrowly hold off the Cambridge and Harvard composite in this final of The Ladies’ Challenge Plate. Rating 44 off the start, Leander took a canvas lead over the composite stroking 43, nudging ¼ length clear by the Quarter Mile and a full length by The Barrier, in 1 minute 44 seconds. The lead held through the Half Mile and out to Fawley, before the chasing crew clawed back to ¾ of a length as both began their tiers through Remenham. Cambridge and Harvard kept closing, cutting the gap to ½ a length in the enclosures and to ¼ length passing the Grandstands. Leander held on, in Paralympic Champion cox Erin Kennedy’s final competitive race before retirement, crossing ⅓ of a length clear of the composite to win this year’s Ladies’ Challenge Plate.
The Bridge Challenge Plate Winner: Molesey B.C & University of London
Thames Rowing Club vs Molesey Boat Club & University of London
Despite keen international interest in the second staging of The Bridge Challenge Plate, Sunday’s final was an all-domestic affair. Thames Rowing Club, holders, dispatched Dartmouth University, USA and a composite from Nautilus Rowing Club and Cambridge University on their way to the starting pontoons, whilst Molesey Boat Club & the University of London defeated dual transatlantic interest in Miami and Yale Universities.
After a clean start, both crews were rating 43 at the end of the Island and the composite crew had a canvas lead. The Barrier beckoned and with it came a Molesey/UL surge, with the Henley Women’s Regatta winners stretching out to a length. That lead was maintained through the ½ Mile signal and at Fawley, Molesey Boat Club & the University of London had squeezed again, establishing an additional ¼ length margin. Thames would not lie down though, and responded as the crews powered past Rememham, reducing the advantage to ¾ of a length and then down to ½ length whilst passing the Enclosures. The crowds rose to applaud two valiant eights in the Sunday sunshine and despite repeated attacks from Thames, whose reluctance to relinquish their Trophy was clear, it was Molesey Boat Club & the University of London who took the win by ⅔ of a length.
The Princess of Wales Challenge Trophy Winner: Reading University
Leander Club & Hartpury University v Reading University
One of the three new events joining the Henley Royal Regatta events schedule this week, The Princess of Wales Challenge Trophy has given the opportunity for Reading University, the premier sculling university in the country, a stage to shine on.Facing Hartpury University in the final, crews remained level at the end of the Island. Reading University were not deterred by Hartpurty’s fast start, and pushed ¼ length ahead by the ¼ Mile. Setting the new record to the Barrier, at 2 minutes and 4 seconds, Reading University strode away, securing a 2 ½ length gap on their opposition at Fawley. Whilst ahead, their steering was put to question, with the crew receiving five warnings as they progressed up the course. Approaching the finish, Hartpury threw everything at them, but to no avail, and Reading University won, claiming two thirds of the wins in the new event categories at this year’s Regatta.
